The Marauders' First Christmas
by SeveRemus
Summary: References to SSRL & SBRL Slash but nothing hardcore. Sirius gets the Marauders unusual Christmas presents, but Severus is left to handle the aftermath... FYI Sirius loves Remus, Remus loves Severus, and Severus loves Lily. Part of Severus and Remus.
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry, just decided to divide it up into chapters. Hope you all had a happy Christmas and got at least one present that you wanted!

* * *

"Mr. Black!" McGonagall called as the last class before the Christmas holidays was dismissed, and the four Marauders turned as one. They all expected James to be called next, and possibly Peter and Remus, but the detentions were not meted out as usual.

"There was a package delivered for you, special delivery, which I had taken to the teachers' lounge," McGonagall explained. "Please follow me."

"Oh!" Sirius exclaimed, remembering and smiling at his friends. "I'll catch up in a minute!"

Following their Head of House into the room, Sirius grinned broadly as he saw the large box at the end of the table, and ran to open it.

"NOT so fast, Mr. Black," McGonagall interrupted. "Do you know why I had it kept here, and not taken to your room?"

"Uh, no," Sirius admitted, furrowing his brows. "Because you wanted a kiss before I left?" he suggested impishly, nodding at the mistletoe that was winding its way around the candelabra. He was rewarded by a slight twitch in the corner of McGonagall's pursed mouth.

"No, Mr. Black, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I was simply concerned since this package," she said, looking down at the box with mixed distaste and suspicion, "was RUSTLING."

"Oh! Well, that's easily explained," Sirius answered, relieved. "It's nothing dangerous, just some Christmas presents for my roommates."

"And these presents would be moving around because...?" she prodded.

Sirius started unwrapping the box, and instinctively McGonagall drew her wand and pointed it at the box, which became invigorated as Sirius untied the string that kept the lid shut.

"Don't worry, Professor, you're gonna LOVE these," he promised as he opened the lid. He looked in to check on his owl-order purchases, counting to make sure they were all there, and McGonagall peered in over his shoulder. She blinked at the sight that greeted her eyes, met Sirius' look of smug satisfaction, and actually started to laugh -- a light, merry, ringing laugh that seemed to bubble up out of her toes.

"Merlin's beard! Of all the things...! Very well, Mr. Black, you may take them to your room. Happy Christmas to you!"

She was still laughing as Sirius left the teachers' lounge and started to make his cumbersome way up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower, holding the large, still-rustling box in his arms.

* * *

"Sirius! What in the name of all things magical is THAT?!?" James exclaimed as Sirius pushed the box ahead of him through the portal into the common room.

"This, my friend, is your Christmas present! Help me get it up to our room," he added, panting from the effort it had required to bring it thus far. Between the two of them, with Remus running to open the door and Peter directing them from below, they carried the box up the last flight of stairs to the room the four of them shared.

"Sirius," James said, rather accusingly, "this box is MOVING!"

"Indeed it is, my astute friend!" Sirius beamed. "This is the best Christmas present you'll ever get. Practical as well as pretty! You're all getting a pair of," he opened the lid with a flourish, "Dust Bunny Slippers!!!"

"WHAT?!?" James cried, startled to find a mess of furry creatures inside the box.

"Ohhh, Sirius!" Remus cooed, "They're ADORABLE!"

"I got the pink ones for you, Remus," Sirius grinned, pulling them out. Remus cuddled the little pink rabbits, one in each arm, a look of utter delight brightening his face. James exchanged a look with Peter and shrugged, tacitly acknowledging that Sirius' main objective was to please Remus, and that he had gotten each of them the same thing out of convenience.

"Peter, I got yellow ones for you," Sirius continued, oblivious to James rolling his eyes as he handed Peter his pair, "and James, I got these blue ones for you," dumping the blue pair in his lap, "and for me, well, I HAD to get the black ones!"

"They're wonderful!" Remus said, beaming his pleasure.

"I thought they'd be good company, seeing how you're staying here all holiday," Sirius explained, watching with elation as Remus stroked and petted the pink, lop-eared rabbits in his arms. "Plus, they eat the dust under you bed! They need some lettuce and vegetables, too, occasionally, and you have to make sure they have enough water, but the best part, of course, is that you can wear them and keep your feet warm!"

"OH! Doesn't it hurt them?" Peter asked, watching one of his yellow rabbits hop around the floor.

"Of course not, they couldn't sell them as slippers if you couldn't wear them! See?" Sirius slipped his feet into the openings the rabbits had in their backs, and stood up wearing them. "If you train them, they can even make you hop. They're actually quite hardy."

"Wow, they ARE nice and warm," James admitted, trying on his blue pair. "They're just the thing for coming back from the shower! Thanks, Sirius!"

"Yeah, thanks!" Peter said enthusiastically, one foot covered in yellow fur, and looking under his bed for the other one that had hopped away. "Hey, this one's already eating the dust under here!"

Remus was still unwilling to part with his furry new friends, and cradled them to his chest, giggling as one of them reached up and tickled his chin with its whiskers. "They're perfect," he whispered, and caught Sirius' eye. "Thank you!"

"Don't mention it," Sirius murmured, sitting down next to him and looking at the pink bundles that were nosing Remus' robes. "Although," he added, almost as an afterthought, "you COULD thank me by moving closer to the door..."

Remus looked up shyly at the mistletoe hanging from the top of their doorway, then leaned in to plant a kiss squarely on Sirius' lips.

"Happy Christmas!"


	2. Chapter 2

Although Remus' parents were poor, having spent most of their fortunes on finding a nonexistent cure for his lycanthropy, they could have afforded the round-trip ticket to have him home for the holidays; however, since the full moon fell on New Year's Eve that year, and classes resumed on the third, Remus had persuaded them that the safest and most convenient place for him was at Hogwarts, especially since most of the student population would be gone. Thus he was able to spend a blissful week in Severus' constant company, occasionally working on homework, but mostly amusing themselves by exploring the castle.

The Dust Bunny Slippers were just the thing, he claimed to a seemingly unconvinced Severus, for walking about the cold stone floors of the castle -- especially when he ventured down into the dungeons to Severus' room. Although Severus thought they were ridiculously cute, and resented them for the simple reason that they were a gift from Sirius, he did keep some carrots from dinner to feed them a few times.

* * *

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: Eventually there will be more chapters here, describing in detail how the two boys spent their holidays together, but it would not be appropriate for this rating...]

* * *

On New Year's Eve, Remus looked haggard as he always did when he felt the pull of the waxing moon. He was shaken as well by the realization that, as the werewolf blood in him grew stronger, he felt a dangerous urge to lick the rabbits' fur, which he knew was a precursor to biting and eating them. He was frightened for their safety, as well as terrified of the wild beast within himself.

"Severus," he began, as they sat side by side and hand in hand in the Gryffindor common room, languidly watching the fire after lunch. "I haven't been feeling too well, the last few days..."

"I know," Severus quietly replied. "You've been looking more tired every day. Do you think there's an episode coming on?"

Remus nodded. He had convinced Severus that his illness was related to epileptic seizures, but felt badly about having to deceive his friend and lover. Yet he knew with dreadful clarity that Severus would cease to be his friend at all if he discovered the true nature of his bouts of ill health.

"Would you do me a favor?" Remus asked, timidly. Severus squeezed his hand.

"Anything," was his unequivocal answer.

"Would you take care of my bunnies for me? I don't know how long Madam Pomfrey will keep me this time."

"Don't worry, Remus, I'll take good care of them. They're no trouble at all."

Remus sighed with relief. "Thanks, Sev." He pulled Severus' hand to his lips for a grateful kiss, then took off his rabbit slippers. He thought, for a moment, that they seemed to have grown bigger, but dismissed it as his imagination -- after all, they were beginning to look more and more like tasty treats. He shook his head as he handed them to Severus.

"I'd better go see Madam Pomfrey now."

"I'll walk you there," Severus offered, and waited as Remus ran to his room for his shoes. They walked in silence towards the hospital ward, parting with a quick hug.

"I'll see you in a day or two," Remus promised. Severus nodded and headed for the stairs going down to the dungeons, a pink rabbit tucked firmly under each arm.

* * *

Although Severus would never have admitted it, he had actually grown quite fond of the rabbits during his week of living with Remus. Their color was atrocious, of course, more befitting a girl's nursery than a boy's dormitory -- he was incensed that Sirius treated Remus like some kind of sissy, and vowed to always treat his lover with more respect than that -- but apart from their pink color, he had to admit that they were the perfect gift for Remus, who loved all things living and did suffer from cold feet during the winter. He wished that he had thought of it first, and wished even harder that he had the gold to have bought them for him. In fact, if he had the gold, he would still be tempted to buy a pair for Lily, his favorite Gryffindor -- although it would be useless to do so now, as she would know immediately that he was copying Sirius' idea.

When he entered his room, he let the rabbits down to browse for dust, and sat at his desk to do some homework. He gave it up after a while, too distracted from wondering about Remus and how bad his seizures might be this time. He silently acknowledged that the room seemed much emptier now, since Remus was not with him. Their week of uninterrupted companionship had made him grow accustomed to his presence, and he felt his absence keenly. He thought it curious that despite the Gryffindor's mild manner and easy acquiescence (which made him unobtrusive enough to be tolerable, even for a critical Slytherin like himself), the lack of his quiet shadow made him feel so incomplete and wanting. He sighed and sat down on the throw rug Lucius had given him for Christmas.

"Here, bunnies!" he called, putting his hand under the bed as Remus did. He soon felt a warm, whiskery nose nuzzling against his palm, and pulled out a pink ball of fur.

"Which one are you, Hoppy or Fuzzmuffin?" he asked, holding it up to his face. He did not expect an answer, which was just as well, for Remus had changed their names so often that the rabbits themselves weren't sure what to answer to, other than "bunnies." That was the sound they associated with their master, and the only call they responded to.

Severus pressed the warm body against his cheek, feeling the twitching nose move across his face, sniffing the last remaining traces of Remus' scent on him.

"I know," he sighed. "I miss him, too."


	3. Chapter 3

As expected, Remus was not able to come to the Great Hall for dinner that evening. Severus sat next to Slughorn and was bored almost to tears by his stories of all the famous wizards and witches he knew or had taught. Dumbledore kindly offered him extra servings of pie, but he excused himself as quickly as he could and returned to his room, his pockets full of parsley (used for trimming, which nobody bothered to eat) and some lettuce from his salad.

"Here, bunnies! Come and get it!" he called, scattering the greens on the floor near his bed. The rabbits hopped out, rather slowly, and started nibbling. Severus gathered some of his books and parchment and lay on his stomach on the throw rug, hoping the rabbits would not return to their hiding spot under the bed immediately after eating. To his delight, they eagerly huddled against him, being rather anxious in their new environment. He finished one report and decided it was time to turn in.

"No sense staying up until midnight, even if it IS New Year," he told the sleepy rabbits. "Remus isn't here to get his first kiss of the year, anyway."

He changed into a nightshirt and crawled between the cold sheets of his bed. After turning over a few times, unable to find a comfortable position, he realized that he was missing Remus' warm body. The discovery left him more forlorn than ever, and after a few minutes he reached down and called the rabbits. By coaxing them several times, he managed to get both of them out from under the bed and set them beside his pillow. They quickly burrowed under the blankets and found their way next to him, and he welcomed their warmth. They were not nearly large enough to fill the empty space left by Remus, but they were better than nothing.

* * *

Severus was awakened by the firecrackers set off in Hogsmeade to celebrate the beginning of the new year. He yawned, irritated at having his sleep interrupted, and absentmindedly petted the ball of fur lying against his chest. He was startled to feel something damp that seemed to SQUIRM under his touch. He felt around, tentatively, and thought he felt several damp, squirming somethings in his bed, huddled against what was definitely one of the rabbits. He pulled back the covers with growing trepidation at what he would find, and pointed his wand.

"_Lumos!_"

The sight that greeted him was a mass of pink-and-black skinned baby bunnies, indeed squirming as they blindly tried to press closer to his warmth, still naked and looking more like mice than proper rabbits.

"Bloody hell!" he exploded without thinking. Then, noticing the mess made in his bed from the birthing process, said it again with more feeling.

"Didn't anybody remember to NEUTER these things?!?" he asked aloud, although the answer was obvious. He counted four helpless little bodies all butting their heads against their mother, searching for milk. One by one they found her teats, and nursed with all their might. Severus looked at them dumbly for several minutes before he snapped out of his shock and cleaned up the bed with both _Tergeo_ and _Scourgify_ for good measure.

"Where did the other one go?" he wondered, and pulled back the covers some more. There, right before his eyes, the other rabbit was popping out a baby of her own. Severus watched transfixed as two more babies followed. This was also a litter of four. They were mewling with their tiny voices, pushing against their mother, but resting before they tried to nurse.

Severus looked from one litter to the other and noticed, with some surprise, that their hairless skin had distinct patterns to them -- and not the random mottling one would expect. The first litter had two that were black with pink polka dots, and two that were pink with black polka dots. The second litter had two with a pink-and-blue checkerboard pattern, and the other two were similar, except the squares were elongated into diamond shapes -- a harlequin pattern. Severus sighed.

"You WOULD have to have the babies while Remus is gone!" he chided the mothers, who were too busy tending their offspring to heed his words. Then a thought occurred to him. "Remus is going to be so disappointed that he missed seeing them born! But he didn't know they were expecting... Is he ever going to be surprised!"

He looked at the four pairs of baby Dust Bunny Slippers, and stroked the head of the one closest to him. He was thinking about what Remus had told him -- that Sirius had gotten himself a black pair, and given a blue pair to James.

"So this one must have mated with one or both of Sirius' bunnies, and this one with James'. Naturally, THEY got the males, and gave Remus the females!" he thought with some frustration, adding another item to the long list of grievances he had against the duo.

Finally, not knowing what else to do, he cleaned the second mess made in his bed that night and pulled on the thick bathrobe that Lucius had given him on his first night at Hogwarts. He knew it was rather presumptuous, but not wanting to move the rabbits when they were so young, he left them in his own bed and headed down the hall to Lucius' room, where he lit a large fire in the fireplace and crawled under the covers to sleep in the Malfoy heir's bed until late the next morning.


	4. Chapter 4

When Severus arrived at the Great Hall for lunch, he immediately approached Madam Pomfrey, who was telling Professor McGonagall that Remus was doing much better.

"Is he well enough for visitors?" he asked without preamble.

Madam Pomfrey looked slightly taken aback. "Why... yes, I suppose so. But only for short periods at a time! He needs to rest before classes start."

Severus nodded, and was about to sit at his usual seat, when an idea occurred to him and he went back to Professor McGonagall, who was studying him with some curiosity. She was wondering why he, of all people, should wish to look in on Remus, who was not only a Gryffindor but a close friend of Potter and Black as well.

"Professor, are you by any chance familiar with Dust Bunny Slippers?" he asked with a serious expression. It was a credit to her profession that she did not burst out laughing at the unexpected words from the usually sullen Slytherin.

"Why, yes, I suppose I am," she answered, with only the slightest curve of her lips.

"I'm taking care of Lupin's pair," Severus explained, shocking all those within earshot, "and I don't think he realized that they were expecting. Both of them had litters last night."

"Oh!" McGonagall said, startled. "Are they doing well?"

"As far as I can see, yes. But I was more interested in neutering them. I'm not sure what the gestation period is for this kind of rabbit, but if we don't do something, I'm afraid they will breed indiscriminately. They're Lupin's rabbits, of course, but I think he would agree that it must be stopped. Especially since his roommates have males."

"Oh, dear," McGonagall sighed. "Yes, something must be done about that. I should have foreseen that anything Mr. Black brought in would cause problems!" She shook her head in resignation. "I will accompany you to visit Mr. Lupin this afternoon."

"I'll bring the rabbits, then," Severus agreed.

Dumbledore had been listening intently to their conversation. "Minerva, these Bunny Slippers were brought in by Sirius Black, you said?"

"Yes, Headmaster. I allowed it since they were Christmas gifts to his friends."

"Well, that's yet another hare-brained idea we can credit him for!" Dumbledore said, much to the delight of the few students left spending their holidays at Hogwarts.

* * *

Severus had gathered the rabbits -- all ten of them -- into two shoeboxes, and transported them to the hospital ward with the _Locomotor_ charm. He had even sacrificed one of his tattered old undershirts for the cause, ripping it into strips to put inside the boxes and keep the rabbits comfortable. He was rewarded by the look of utter astonishment, then pure joy, that spread across Remus' drawn and pale face.

"Baby bunnies! How marvelous!" he exclaimed, struggling to get into a sitting position. Severus quickly set the boxes aside to help him, not realizing that Professor McGonagall had just entered the room behind his back.

"Careful! Don't overexert yourself, or you'll have to stay here longer," he warned, supporting the Gryffindor's thin body with both arms.

"I know, but BABIES, Severus! I didn't even know they could HAVE babies!"

The dark circles under his lover's eyes worried Severus more than he let on, but he was relieved somewhat to see that Remus was able to sit up and peer into the boxes, picking up each of the tiny creatures to stroke them in turn. They were so engrossed in the litters, Severus pointing out the patterns on their skin, that neither of them noticed McGonagall's presence until she delicately cleared her throat.

"I'm glad to see that you're doing better, Mr. Lupin," she said, greeting him with a warm smile. "So, here are the little bundles of joy Mr. Snape was telling us about," she added, picking up one of the checkerboard rabbits and holding it in a cupped hand. "Now, are you willing to have all of these neutered and spayed?"

"Neutered? Spayed?!?" Remus gasped, looking to Severus for answers.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Severus explained, "I hadn't gotten 'round to discussing that yet."

"Oh, I see," McGonagall nodded. "I'm sorry, Mr. Lupin, but as ADORABLE as these little ones are, I'm afraid we can't allow them to run amuck on the school premises. Technically, they are items of clothing, but if they continue to... procreate, there may be some question as to whether they are not, in fact, pets, and as such they would not be allowed at all."

Remus leaned back against the headboard and sighed. "I understand, Professor. I didn't know they actually COULD 'procreate,' and it certainly does make things more... complicated."

Severus knitted his brows together at how wan Remus looked, lying there exhausted from the slight effort he had made, but turned his attention back to McGonagall.

"Professor, are you able to do the procedures?"

"Yes, Mr. Snape, I've contacted the... manufacturer, to confirm the proper spells that must be used," she informed him, stopping just short of saying "breeder."

Remus looked up at her quickly. "It won't hurt them, will it?"

"I assure you, Mr. Lupin, they won't feel the slightest discomfort."

Remus nodded, satisfied. "Thank you. I wouldn't know what to do for them, myself."

Severus had noted how laboured his breathing had become, and removed the boxes from the bed, setting them down carefully in a chair, where McGonagall bent to return the one she held after a final stroke of its velvety back. When she turned back to the boys, she was startled to find that Severus was once more helping Remus, this time to lie down, plumping his pillow and tucking the blankets in around his shoulders.

"Don't worry," he was telling Remus. "You just rest. I'll take care of everything."

Remus gave him a tired smile and nodded.

_"How curious,"_ McGonagall remarked to herself. _"I would never have believed Severus Snape capable of such... tenderness!"_ She was glad to think the better of him for it.

"Well then, Mr. Snape, if you would be so kind as to bring them to my office...?"

"Of course, Professor," he answered, pulling out his wand and casting the _Locomotor_ charm on the boxes again. He cast a quick glance back at Remus as they exited the ward, satisfied to see that he was already drifting into a deep sleep, a small smile curving the corners of his mouth as he dreamed of tiny multicolored bunnies.


	5. Chapter 5

"Is that the last of them?" McGonagall asked as Severus handed her another of the newborn rabbits.

"Yes. That is, if you don't count the pairs Black, Potter, and Pettigrew will be bringing back to school," he replied.

"I'll be sure to deal with them directly when they return, Mr. Snape," McGonagall answered, then cast the spell that rendered the tiny female infertile. She handed it back to him with a sigh of relief, and surveyed her handiwork. All ten of the rabbits seemed perfectly content, arranged in their boxes by Severus according to pattern. She had noted how carefully he had handled them during the procedures, assisting her by holding down some of the more active ones, and was impressed by how capable and calm he was for a first year. Watching him settle the last one next to its mother, she decided to ask something that had occurred to her earlier.

"I realize it is not my place to meddle in the affairs of other houses' students," she began, cocking her head to one side to see his face and gauge his reaction, "but I was wondering if you have discussed your plans for future employment with Professor Slughorn?"

"No, ma'am," he answered politely, wondering at the sudden turn of conversation.

"Well, if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion," she said, a faint smile softening her face with benevolence, "I think you should consider becoming a Healer."

The statement had come so unexpectedly that Severus openly stared at her. She nodded to assure him that she was serious.

"From what I hear, your marks in Potions have already made you a prime candidate to work in the finest of our apothecaries; however, if what I have seen today is any indication, I think you would do well with a more hands-on form of medicine. I must say, you had an excellent bedside manner with Mr. Lupin."

Unused to receiving compliments, especially from the Head of Gryffindor House, Severus could barely respond. "Th--Thank you."

"Naturally, a thorough knowledge of potions and the medicinal properties of herbs is essential to the practice of Healing," she continued. "You have a fine mind, Mr. Snape, and I should very much like to see it employed in such work as will utilize your talents to their utmost. Where that lies, specifically, will be up to you to discover, of course, but if I may be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask."

Stunned, Severus' eyes had widened to their fullest, and he was struck speechless by such high praise.

Realizing that a response was not soon forthcoming, McGonagall peered into the boxes for one last look at the rabbits, then smiled and added, "If they seem to have any adverse reactions, let me know at once. I'll be here for most of the day, and in my rooms after dinner."

Severus nodded, realizing that it was a courteous hint for him to leave, and managed to levitate the boxes with the rabbits again. As he reached the door of her office, he turned to look at her, his expression still that of greatest surprise.

"Thank you," he said, in a voice barely above a whisper.

"You're welcome," she answered, equally softly.

* * *

Her manner when she welcomed the three greatest troublemakers of her house back from the holidays was not so benign. Although Sirius claimed, with the most innocent of faces, that he had not known about the rabbits' capability to breed, he was severely reprimanded, and all of the remaining rabbits were spayed and neutered within the hour. This was met with gratitude by Peter, whose pair had also had litters over the break -- one with yellow-and-blue plaid, the other with yellow-and-black tiger stripes.

Despite their Head of House's fury, however, both Sirius and James had many laughs over the incident, and only wished that the bunnies had been born when they were all together in the dorms. Remus chose not to inform them that his had birthed in Severus' bed, thinking the hilarity of the situation might be more than their already-strained relationship with the Slytherin could endure.

* * *

"So, what are you going to do with them?" Severus asked, one evening as they stole a precious hour during the Gryffindor Quidditch practice, which James and Sirius never missed watching. Remus lovingly stroked the back of a pink-and-black polka dotted one, which had hopped its way up onto Severus' lap.

"I think I'll give them away, once they're weaned," he answered, somewhat wistfully. "I wish I could keep them all, but what good would that be? I can only wear one pair at a time, anyway."

"It's for the best," Severus agreed. "But who will you give them to?"

"This pair," Remus said, pointing to the harlequin patterned ones, which had added stripes as they grew, turning into argyles, "I think I'll offer to Professor McGonagall, since she took the trouble to neuter and spay them all. Do you think she'd accept them?"

"I don't see why not," he rejoined. "She liked them well enough when they didn't even have fur."

Remus laughed. "I like them better now that they're soft and fluffy, too... Then this pair," he continued, petting the checkerboard ones, "I'd like to send home to Mum."

"You couldn't do it by owl post, though," Severus cautioned. "No matter how well trained it is, an owl is going to try to eat them."

"I know. I'll have to send them special delivery, or take them home with me next time I go."

"What about these pink ones with the black dots?"

"Well, I was thinking..." he began slowly, carefully choosing his words. "Lily was so nice to me last term, helping me catch up after I was sick, and I thought it would be nice to give her a pair as a thank-you."

Severus gazed at the two very pink rabbits that were nosing their way around his lap. He was surprised that Remus could be so magnanimous, despite his confessed jealousy of Lily. But he had thought, himself, that the rabbit slippers would be a perfect gift for her, and although he was disappointed that HE would not be the one to provide them, he was still happy to know she would be enjoying them.

"I think that's a great idea," he answered, stroking them tenderly. "That leaves only one more pair..."

"Well, I had a special person in mind for those two." Remus looked up shyly at his lover. "After all, I wasn't even there to take care of them when they were born."

Realizing Remus' intent, Severus simply gaped at him.

"I know they've got pink polka dots," Remus admitted, "but they ARE mostly black. Would you wear them? Or... would they be... a bother?"

Severus looked at the two "mostly black" rabbits lying half asleep in Remus' lap.

"No," he finally said, shaking his head. "They'd be... no bother at all."


End file.
